Salt Lake City, Utah December, 2001 - Settlement was reached on behalf of a woman who suffered serious and debilitating injuries in a multi-vehicle automobile accident on Interstate 15. The woman, who cannot be named for reasons of settlement confidentiality, was a passenger in a vehicle that was struck by two other vehicles which had swerved to avoid a load of carpet that had been negligently dropped on I-15. The multiple collisions caused the woman's many serious injuries.
The defendant drivers claimed that they were unaware who had dropped the carpet and had acted responsibly in observing and swerving around the carpeting. The attorneys at Eisenberg Gilchrist & Morton were able to determine, through investigation and discovery, that the carpet had been present on the freeway for a long period of time, that it was clearly visible, and the defendants were not traveling at a safe speed nor acting responsibly when they encountered the hazard. As a result of this investigation, the defendants agreed to a settlement in excess of $200,000.
The injured client, at the time of the court case, was incarcerated at the Utah State Prison. Her injuries required five leg surgeries, which have made it difficult for her to stand or walk for extended periods of time. As such, as part of the settlement, it was agreed that the money would be invested in annuities and other financial vehicles so that she would receive only minimal settlement monies until she is released from prison, at which time she will receive enough money that she will be able to afford a reasonable lifestyle. "It was our belief in a case that involved very difficult liability issues, and a client who would not be appealing to a jury, that enabled us to make this settlement and defer payments until such time she will be able to support herself for the rest of her life. We had given our client a future," said Jeffrey Eisenberg, the primary attorney on the case. Mr. Eisenberg was assisted in the case by attorney David Cutt.
